


another year ago, today, before this same awakening world, I held you

by sagansjagger



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Is So Done, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hawkmoth Defeat, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Light Angst, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27319627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagansjagger/pseuds/sagansjagger
Summary: Chat was seventeen years old and tired.So, so tired, and the day had barely begun.It was the anniversary of his and Ladybug’s getting their miraculous, and normally Chat would be over the moon to celebrate with the rest of the Parisians.But this particular anniversary fell two weeks after the defeat of Hawkmoth--his father, Gabriel Agreste, Chat’s brain cruelly reminded him--and Chat was exhausted.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 27
Kudos: 129
Collections: Miraculous Fanworks Anniversary 2020





	another year ago, today, before this same awakening world, I held you

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt fic for Adventuremaker21 for the Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server anniversary giveaway! People submitted prompts and a group of writers spent time fulfilling them. I filled 7/5, haha!

Chat was seventeen years old and tired.

So, so tired, and the day had barely begun.

It was the anniversary of his and Ladybug’s getting their miraculous, and normally Chat would be over the moon to celebrate with the rest of the Parisians. 

But this particular anniversary fell two weeks after the defeat of Hawkmoth--his father, Gabriel Agreste, Chat’s brain cruelly reminded him--and Chat was exhausted. 

Emotionally. Physically. Mentally.

He and Ladybug had run a press conference every day since the defeat. Adrien had given depositions on both sides of the mask. He’d attended sessions with his therapist, Dr. Pemberley, six times over the two weeks. And he’d visited Nathalie in jail twice--but not his father at all.

Chat still didn’t know who the girl in the ladybug suit was, but he trusted her more than ever. She’d brought him back from the dead in that final battle, after all. Twice. 

Apparently dying took a toll on the body, because Chat was still fatigued from the dogfight with Hawkmoth--Gabriel.

Standing in the middle of the Louvre museum, watching Ladybug receive a giant pair of golden scissors to cut the ribbon for the new Ladybug and Chat Noir exhibit, Chat yawned. He opened his mouth wide, sucking down life-giving oxygen, his shoulders slumped.

Ladybug looked just as tired as he felt. Her normally-coiffed appearance was haggard; dark circles had taken up residence under her eyes and her pigtails were a mess. She may not have slept the night before. She’d told him she’d been having nightmares since the final fight. 

As the museum’s curator droned on and on about how great it was to honor Paris’ heroes, Ladybug’s gaze kept drifting to the nearby unoccupied bench. Chat’s heart went out to her; if he could, he’d lie down and fall asleep on the uncomfortable-looking bench, too.

Chat listened to the curator without hearing him. The man knew how to give a speech, but Chat couldn’t muster up the ability to care about what he said. Chat rolled his neck from side to side to get the kinks out.

Ladybug took the giant scissors to the cheers of the Parsians in attendance. She offered them a tremulous smile and sliced through the red ribbon, officially opening the exhibit. The people cheered again and began filing into the newly-opened room to view the statues, paintings, and other modern artwork featuring the two heroes.

As Ladybug handed the scissors to the mayor again, who turned away to talk to reporters, Chat leaned over to whisper in her ear. “So we’re done for the day, right?” he teased with a grin, knowing very well that this was just the first event of many. “We can go to sleep now?”

Ladybug’s laughter was soft and quiet, emanating from her chest rather than her belly. She poked him in the nose. “Sorry, Kitty. This is just the start.”

Chat pouted playfully and then gave into another yawn. “Ugh. Wake me up when this is all over. Goodnight!”

“Chat,” Ladybug declared, rolling her eyes. She stretched, raising her arms above her head and arching her back. Chat averted his eyes, not wishing to soak up more of the lines of her body than he should. Then she let loose a little moan, and he swallowed. 

“Anyway,” she mumbled, placing a hand on his shoulder. He leaned into the touch. “Next up is the parade.”

“Ah, yes,” Chat murmured, his face curiously numb. If he could only close his eyes, he’d fall asleep on the spot. He squeezed them shut and then opened them again in an effort to stay awake. “The yearly display of massive balloons. Those things that look grotesque as they hover through the air above us, waiting… watching… biding their time...”

Ladybug snorted. “You’re ridiculous. Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

Chat followed his Lady outside and pole-vaulted to the Arc de Triomphe, where the parade-goers had gathered. Ladybug and Chat sat down on a float made of roses bearing their likenesses, waiting for the parade to hurry up and finish. 

The floats holding Violet Tiger, Hoppy Bunny, Multimouse, Bullrush, and all the other heroes were up front, staggered throughout the parade in between gigantic balloons. Chat and Ladybug’s float was the last in rotation, so they had about an hour to wait before they could stand up and throw candy to the kids watching the parade.

Chat unzipped his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. “Poker?” He would have suggested strip poker, but Ladybug didn’t seem to be in the mood to be teased at the moment.

Seated on her throne, Ladybug swung her head heavily towards him. She blinked slowly at the cards in his clawed fingers, as if trying to remember what a deck was for. “My brain is mush. I don’t think I could handle poker at the moment.” Chat’s heart sank, but then she opened her mouth again. “How about Go Fish?”

Chat beamed at her. “Sure.” He dealt the cards and proceeded to be trounced for eight games in a row. He was the poster boy for bad luck; it was only natural for him to lose. Plus, he was too tired to keep track of their cards.

He was on the way to actually winning, having three sets to Ladybug’s two, when the float driver turned on the engine. Chat packed up the cards with a groan and reached for the candy bags. 

He popped a fun-sized Almond Joy into his mouth, earning him a swat from Ladybug. “Chat! Those are for the kids!” 

“We’re kids!” Chat laughed, giving her a chocolatey grin.

“We’re seventeen.” Ladybug sniffed. “Practically adults.”

“You can’t tell me chocolate wouldn’t make your day better,” Chat teased, waving an unwrapped Reese’s peanut butter cup, Ladybug’s favorite, under her nose. She snatched it and chomped down, giving him a rueful look. He laughed.

The rest of the parade passed without incident. Without the threat of akumas hanging over everyone’s heads, the Parisians were happy to laud their heroes that had brought about the downfall of Hawkmoth. 

After the parade, Chat and Ladybug attended a picnic in their honor with live music provided by Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale, played loud enough to keep Chat awake. With the other heroes, Chat ate fried chicken, potato salad, corn on the cob, watermelon, and avocado summer rolls. 

Trying to keep from collapsing on the ground, Chat stuffed his face, chewing mechanically. Hoppy Bunny smiled at him and asked him if he’d gotten sleep lately, and he answered with an apologetic laugh.

The picnic lasted until the evening, until Chat and Ladybug needed to attend a banquet at City Hall. Still full from the picnic, Chat picked at his bread and butter, salad, and medium-rare steak. The non-alcoholic wine was delicious, though, as was the cherry cheesecake.

Each hero was toasted by officials of the city. Eventually, it was Chat’s turn to give a toast. He stood and raised his glass. “A toast! To Loyal Doggo, for her loyalty. To Wukong, for his inventiveness. To Fabulous Stallion, for his eagerness.”

Chat went on to toast Queen Cobra, Hoppy Bunny, Devine Swine, Ryuuko, Violet Tiger, Multimouse, Bull Rush, Morning Cow, and Baa Baa.

“We couldn’t have done it without you,” Chat concluded, to wild applause. He swayed on his feet, and sipped at his glass.

“Finally,” he continued, once the clapping died down, “a toast to my Lady.” He locked eyes with Ladybug, his own gaze softening. “A toast to the best friend any cat could ask for, for a partner that’s been by my side through thick and thin, and for…”

Ladybug’s eyes widened as he paused. Chat licked his lips. He wanted to tell her that she was the love of his life, wanted to declare his adoration for her to the entire world.

But he chickened out. “For a woman who has impressed me since day one.” 

She smiled at him, and his heart melted. 

He smiled back.

***

Fireworks exploded above Chat and Ladybug on the top of the Eiffel Tower, lighting up the night sky with brilliant displays of bright colors. 

After the evening banquet, they’d bid farewell to the other heroes and the mayor and all the reporters, and went on a quick patrol around the city, meeting up at the Tower.

Chat sat on the girders next to Ladybug, their legs dangling off the edge. They leaned into each other, bracing their shoulders against one another’s to hold themselves up. 

They didn’t say anything. They didn’t have to.

They sat in silence, their hands intertwined.

Until Ladybug fell asleep. 

Ladybug closed her eyes, hanging her head forward. Just as she started tipping off the edge of the Tower, Chat threw his arm out across her chest to catch her. She started awake. “Chat!”

“You okay, Bug?” he said, wide awake now that she was under threat of falling over. She shook herself and grasped his wrist, which was still pressed across her front. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, I’m just--” Her words were arrested by another yawn. 

“Tired?” Chat asked, and she nodded. He placed his clawed hands on her shoulders and tugged her down into his lap. She didn’t resist, merely rested her cheek on his thighs.

He stroked her head, threading his clawed fingers through her inky, black strands. Her hair was so soft and beautiful, and he wished more than anything that he’d be allowed to run his bare hands through it. 

Soon, he heard her snoring softly. Her heartbeat slowed. She glowed green in his night vision, and the silver, hexagonal patterns on her suit glimmered as he stared down at her shoulders. 

He looked at her face, noting how pale she looked. She truly was exhausted. And he was going to let her sleep as much as possible. He’d stay up all night if it meant she could take a nap--though sleeping on the Eiffel Tower would probably make her back sore. 

So a little nap. He could stand having her breathe on his thighs, making his skin hot under his suit, for a little nap. 

Overall, Chat thought it was a lovely anniversary, made even lovelier by the end. He loved her so incredibly much, and if he could be there for her if just for an evening, he would. 

“Goodnight, Bug,” he whispered, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Chat turned his head up to watch the rest of the fireworks, and all was right in his world.

**Author's Note:**

> Are you interested in reading or writing fanfiction? Are you looking for a community of like-minded and supportive people? Then join the [Miraculous Fanworks](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) Discord server! 
> 
> We are always welcoming new members, and would love to see you. We offer a variety of conversations, from fic discussions to writing support to fanfiction prompts. We even have monthly server-wide events and group writing projects! 
> 
> Come join today!


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